Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-07-21


of man." nodded Mrs. Parkhurst;
"aud he owns ninety acres of good
land, with house that's only Just new
painted" ----
Pretty Greta did not return to the
breakfast-table, and Stanley strolled
out to the woods, when he had finished
his last cup Of coffee, with his portfolio
under his arm.
II may as well be doing chapter
or two for the BicepS, while that old
idiot of town-clerk is making out the
title deeds" mused he. 'And there's
no getting q chance to write or to
think within ten feet of Aunt Park
hurst's blessed old tongue. Here's
this deserted old barn by the river.
I'll go in here, and see if the flames
of fancy won't burn up little. Halo!
Hows thisp Locked upl Uncle Park
hurst never kept this place locked up
in my time"
He gave the paddock a pull; the
rusted iron parted frqn the crumbling
wood, and the door burst open.
In the same moment some large
body plunged towards him, with a
ferocious growl. 1t was good-sized
brown bear!
"Confusionp roared our hero, back
ing involuntarily into corner, while
he protected himself, as well as he
could, by holding up the portfolio be-
fore his face. f"
In an instant, however, light figure
glided past him-a hand was laid upon
the brute's leather collar.
down, Shag-downw said Greta
Harmon's soft sweet voice in accents
of the utmost composure. lam sorry
Mr.. Stanley, that my pet should have
frightened you; but never expected
that anyone would break into his house
like this"
"Your petw gasped Stanley.
'1t was his restlessness, l suppose,
that annoyed you in the night" ex-
planned Greta. He was fastened to Il
tree in the woods He likes cool fresh
air, poor thing, but this morning l
changed him to this lonely place. Mr..
Parkhurst is deaf, you know, and don't
hear things; and / wouldn't have Mrs.
Parkhurst know this for the world"
But" cried Stanley, "the brute is
dangerousw
mot bit, poor fellow!" said calm
Greta. HE is thoroughly tanned. He
is performing bear, and | found him
wandering through the woods on the
day of the railway wreck. My uncle.
in Germany, used to tame bears for
showmen, and l understand all their
ways; so brought him here, and I've
fed him and cared for him ever since,
expecting that his owner would come
to claim him some time. No one has
come, though; and it is more than
likely, l am beginning to fear, that his
owner was drowned in some of those
deep pools in the creek, under the tres
| tle-work."
"And you are going to keep him?"
asked Herbert Stanley.
"What else can / dop" asked Greta,
raising the composed blue eyes to
Stanley's face. Zone can't turn bears
loose in the woods in place like this.
And the poor thing reminds me of my
youth. Oh I'll get along in some fash
ion, only please don't speak of this to
my good friends, the Parkhursts!'
"Aha!' thought Stanley; 'all will be
well if we can once establish link of
secrecy between us-this exquisite
blonde and me-" ,....
And at the end of the week, so far
infatuated was he that he asked Mar
garcia Harmon to be his wife.
"She is so beautiful!" he said to him.
self II can make anything / please
out of her. No duchess could grace
my home more royalty, whatever may
be her present rank.
But to his surprise, Greta dropped
him one of her slow, queenly curtsies,
and declined his offer.
Herbert Stanley for a moment could
hardly believe his ears.
"You-you don't like me?" he gasped
"Oh, very much" said artless Greta.
'But don't love you; there's where it
lis. l could never marry man unless
l loved him very, very much"
And the blue eyes went dreamily out
into space.
"Confound it all!' said Stanley to
himself; ''there's some fellow over in
Germany that she is pining after"
And he had made his sacrifice in
vain.
The next day-thus strangely does
fate weave her web-a tall, broad
shouldered young man alighted from
the train at Cassell's Greek station.
I'm the manager of y Western
show, said he to the station-agent,
land my best performing bear was
lost here in the accident last spring.
I've only just tracked him to this place.
The attendant was SO frightened atrhe
accident that he slunk away, and we
have, just convinced him that he can
neither be hung nor imprisoned for a
thing which was none of his fault.
Perhaps the creature may be dead; but
if he's above ground, / mean to find
him. Come on, Claus, and help me to
identify King Bruinw
Claus, a fair-haired shutting Ger
man, followed close behind his master
with a guilty air. Ia
Does anyone know anything of a
docile bear loosein this neighborhood?"
said the manager, looking cheerily
around.
''Parkhurst's hired gals got one,,''
said barefooted boy, who chewed to-
bacco, and was not in the least like
Whittier's ideal. '.Old man Parkhurst
found it chained in the barn last week,
and made jolly row about it. But
they let her keep it. ~ Z H tf "
''And where does this gentleman
liveP" asked the manager.
/ ~ II. L., 4a1